Goryeo loyalist counted among the 72 worthies of Dumundong; pen name Deokgok; founder of the Deokgok-gong branch
| Life | 1357 ~ 1417 |
| Era | 고려 말~조선 초 |
| Clan | 함안 조씨 |
Jo Seung-suk (趙承肅, 1357-1417) was a scholar of late Goryeo and early Joseon of the Haman Jo clan, with courtesy name Gyeongbu and pen name Deokgok. He is said to have been born in Hamyang in 1357 and is known as a disciple of Jeong Mong-ju. The year he passed the civil examination is given as 1377 or 1384 depending on the source. Around 1390 he served as county magistrate of Buyeo.
When Goryeo fell and Joseon was founded in 1392 he gave up office and entered Dumundong. Dumundong is the place where Goryeo officials are said to have gathered, refusing to serve the new dynasty, and he is counted among the so-called 72 worthies of Dumundong. He later returned to Deokgok in Hamyang, near his home, built a pavilion called Gyosujeong and devoted himself to teaching.
He died in 1417, was given the posthumous title Mungyeong (文敬), and his collected works survive as the Deokgok-jip. He is said to have had three sons, Jong-in, Jong-ui and Jong-rye, and the association lists Jong-ui's Hyeongam-gong branch and Jong-rye's Jehak-gong branch as sub-branches of Deokgok-gong. His pen name became the name of the branch.
The 72 worthies of Dumundong refers to Goryeo officials said to have gone into Dumundong near Gaeseong and refused to serve the Joseon dynasty. The exact number and list differ by source, and later families are known to have added their ancestors over time. Jo Seung-suk is introduced as one of the 72 in Wikipedia and elsewhere. In the Haman Jo clan both he and Geumeun Jo Yeol are said to have retreated to Dumundong, a source of pride for the family.
Deokgok in Hamyang, where Jo Seung-suk returned, gave him his pen name and the branch its name. He built a pavilion there and trained pupils, but which pupils continued his teaching could not be confirmed here. The Deokgok-jip is the record that transmits his writings and deeds.
In the association's tally the Deokgok-gong founder is of the 11th generation, while Jo Ryeo is counted as the 12th. The branch stands as a main branch separate from those descended from Jo Ryeo's sons, and the story of this ancestor who declined office against Joseon's founding is told with that of Jo Ryeo, loyal to Danjong, as two pillars of the Haman Jo tradition of loyalty. It is also worth noting that he studied under Jeong Mong-ju.
His tomb could not be confirmed here.